Clean the horse mackerels, removing the scales, then cut off the head. Carefully remove the guts. Slice down the dorsal side, removing one side of the filet from the backbone, then do the same to the other side. Cut off the backbone then remove the rib bones. The fish should be fully butterflied at this point. Be sure to remove all the bones from the filet before proceeding to the dredging. Repeat for the other fish.

Season both sides of the butterflied filets with salt and pepper.

Coat the filet with flour and shake off the excess. Then coat with the beaten egg and allow the excess to drip off. Finally, coat with the panko – make sure to gently press onto the breaded filets to ensure that a sufficient amount of panko is evenly packed on all surfaces of the filet. Repeat for the other filet.

Heat oil (about an inch deep) in a pan to about 350°F/170°C. Gently place one filet in the oil and fry for about 1 minute on both sides until golden brown.

Once the aji fry is done frying, place it on a cooling rack or plate lined with a paper towel to drain the excess oil.

Place an aji fry on a plate with your choice of veggies and sauce, and the aji fry is done! 完成です！